The Curse of Gold – The Legend of King Midas and the Pactolus River
The Pactolus is a river in the ancient region of Lydia—in what is now western Turkey. It became famous for its rich gold deposits, which made it the legendary source of Lydian wealth. Even today, its name lives on in the French expression “toucher le pactole”, meaning: to strike it rich—or in other words, to discover a goldmine.
The Story of Midas – More Curse Than Blessing
Who hasn’t dreamed of turning everything they touch into gold? That was precisely the wish of King Midas, who, according to legend, ruled over Phrygia near the end of the 8th century BCE. But his dream soon turned into a nightmare.
One day, Midas found a drunken old man wandering the streets of his city, mocked by the townspeople. The king, however, showed generosity and gave him shelter in his palace. What he didn’t know: the old drunk was none other than Silenus, the foster father of the wine god Bacchus.
As thanks for this act, Bacchus offered the king a wish of his choice. Midas didn’t hesitate and asked that everything he touched be turned to gold. At first, the joy was immense: furniture, food, even flowers turned into pure gold.
But Gold Doesn’t Satisfy Hunger…
Soon, however, the miracle turned to despair. Midas could no longer eat or drink—everything his fingers touched turned to metal. According to some versions of the story, even his daughter was turned into a statue by his touch.
On the brink of starvation, Midas begged Bacchus to release him from this curse. The god listened and instructed him to wash his hands in the Pactolus River. This way, the king lost his “golden gift,” and since then, so the legend goes, gold particles have been carried along by the river’s waters.
Historical Echo
This legend is not only a moral parable about greed and excess, but also has real-world roots: the Pactolus River did indeed yield gold, which was later used for minting coins in the Kingdom of Lydia. The Lydian king Croesus, famous for his legendary wealth, is said to have made his fortune from it.
The phrase “as rich as Croesus” also originates from this era and refers to the gold treasures extracted from the Pactolus—a river that links legend and reality.
Final Thoughts
The story of Midas shows how dangerous an unchecked desire for wealth can be. It reminds us that all that glitters is not gold, and according to the legend, ever since that event, the Pactolus has carried fine gold dust in its waters—a timeless symbol of the greedy king’s redemption…
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Overview of gold taxation by country
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